Aria: 1st Age
by Aryaveiel Skycryer
Summary: This is an Age I wrote. I go here whenever I can't handle the real world. Sort of more original fiction, but you've got to give MYST credit for coming up with the general idea.


A/N: I do not own MYST, not even the game itself. But I do own this Age, so you must ask before you link to it, okay?  
  
The linking book takes me to a clearing in the midst of a quiet pine forest. The air is heavy with the threat of rain, yet it is a warm, comfortable temperature. No wind stirs the needles on the trees, and the grass is still glistening with morning dew. The wood surrounding the clearing at first seemed to pines, but now I realize that they are a different tree entirely. The branches are larger than that of a pine, and the bottom circle of limbs are only a few feet off the ground. As I stand there and take in the surroundings, clean drops of rain fall on my shoulders. Soon the entire sky is filled with grey clouds, and it is raining heavily. I quickly run to the edge of the forest, taking cover under one of the large pine trees. My thin jacket is little protection against the weather, which has become slightly chill. The D'ni linking book tucked safely under my shirt, I reach up to the lowest branch of the tree, which is little more than five feet above the ground. The limbs of the pine are spaced evenly and close together, making the climb relatively easy. It is not long before I have reached the top, where I take a seat on a crooked branch. There is absolute silence, save for the sound of the rain on the trees, until the raindrops come sparsely and the sun breaks through the clouds once more. Through the mist, a glittering spectrum of colors materializes in an arc over the roof of the forest. My perch in the tree is at eye level with this new phenomenon. As the colors shimmer, a strain of music finds its way to my ears. The tune swells into a song, as like to a monastery chant as silver is to grey. Curious to find the source of this beautiful music, I stand up on the wet branch to gaze out across the forest. It seems that the only living things for miles are trees. Just as I am about to turn in the other direction, my feet falter on the slippery limb and I plummet down to the earth...  
  
Just before I hit the ground, I remember the linking book and quickly pull it out to place my hand over the wavering image of my library in D'ni. I find myself lying flat on my back in a puddle on the wood-paneled floor. For awhile I just sit and think about how many trees fell to make the floor I lie on...  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The next day, I enter my First Age prepared. I climb up to the lowest branch of the nearest tree to wait out the rain. This time it takes nearly an hour to let up, but just as before, when the colors glitter over the trees, a lone aria rises on the wind. Now is my chance. I jump down from my seat in the tree and take a place in the middle of the clearing. I stand there with my eyes closed and listen very carefully. At first the sound seems to surround me, but after awhile I sense that it is stronger off to the East. Shouldering my backpack, I head off in that direction. The damp grass squeaks beneath my shoes a little, and the occasional leftover raindrop spills from the branches above onto my head. Before long the sun is shining brightly, lighting my needle-covered path.  
  
After nearly an hour of strolling through the wood, I spot a small group of people ahead. Inhabitants in my Age! I didn't even write them in. Despite my urge to run forth and greet them, I know that they would be afraid of a visitor, so I climb in to a tree close by, and crawl as far out on the branch as I dare to get a better look at these people.  
  
They seem to be around my age, though I do not know if this is young or old for their world. There are about twenty people there, standing underneath the boughs of the tree. I notice that there are a few more girls than boys. Most of them seem to hold instruments. A short, dark-haired girl with glasses cradles an intricately carved violin between her chin and shoulder. The violin slips from its position as she throws her head back to laugh at something the piano player says. The girl seated at the piano has slightly lighter hair, and she, too, has a pair of eyeglasses perched on her nose. The piano, now silent, seems to grow right out of the ground. It is of a dark, polished wood, and each key has a different symbol etched into its surface.  
  
Next to the pianist stands another blond girl holding a brass instrument. The body of it curves into an "S" shape, and many keys cover the long tube connecting the mouthpiece to the horn at the end that flares upward. A term I learned in my days on the surface pops into my head: saxophone.  
  
Many other instruments too alien for me to describe are carried by the musicians. While many of them need glasses, there are a few who do not. Everyone seems to be talking and laughing, having a good time. I do not know why they are here, or why the music has fallen silent, but it is all I can do to hold myself back from joining them.  
  
It suddenly occurs to me to check my D'ni timepiece, and with a start I notice that it is past time for me to leave this place. I pull the Linking book from its pocket in my backpack and place my hand over the wavering image. Just before I fade out of this reality, I see every face in the group turn up to stare in shock at my former seat on the branch. 


End file.
